Coffee Beginnings
by asphora
Summary: A pinch of sweetness, some coffee and a decent amount of innocent pushing from friends leads to a spark between Levi and Petra. Who knew so much could come from just a simple meeting and a cup of coffee? Rivetra AU


_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

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When Erd, Auruo and Gunther invite him to tag along for coffee at a café they frequent, Levi is more than hesitant. It isn't that he doesn't love a good cup of coffee, it's just that he's got tests coming up and there isn't any time to dilly dally.

Staring at his unusually untidy room— thanks to a certain roommate of his, mind you— he sighs and gives up. He doesn't have the time to clean and he can't study in an atmosphere like this. Begrudgingly, he takes they're offer.

The walk to the coffee shop is quiet and short— at least for Levi it is. As much as Levi is friends with the three of them, he's not quite in the mood to be socializing. His face may have been deadpan, but certainly, under that calm exterior, he was more than stressed.

"It's Petra's shift today isn't it?" Erd asks.

"You know it." Auruo answers smugly.

"She stills owes us for last time, doesn't she?" Gunther asks.

Their chatter dissolves into the background as they make their way into the coffee shop. Levi has to admit. It isn't as bad as he thought it would be. The ambience is nice and peaceful— warm even, if the thermostat wasn't actually placed so fucking low. There are only a few customers. Most of them had the same idea as him and are studying, so the place was relatively quiet.

He doesn't bother with a drink. Instead, he goes right on over to a seat and begins to unload his books from his bag. He's so engrossed in whatever he's doing that he doesn't notice the auburn haired girl whose eyes are on him the entire time.

"Who's that?" she asks Erd. She writes his name on his cup in a petty attempt at feigning nonchalance, but Erd can see right through her.

"That's Levi," Auruo answers for him. "A friend of ours."

"Why? You interested? I can give you his number if you want it." Gunther asks, his eye-brows moving up and down suggestively. The gesture makes Petra blush.

"Wha—what? Y-you're insane! I was just curious, tha-that's all!" Erd swears she looks like a kid that's been caught with her hand in a cookie jar. "Besides, it would be rude to get his number from anyone other than him." She mumbles and the words are barely audible.

"If you say so." Gunther replies in a sing-song voice. Petra does everything she can to keep her self-control in check.

"Admit it though, you're attracted to him, aren't you?" Erd pushes.

"I doubt I'm his type…" Petra mumbles as her blush spreads on her face.

"Hey, why don't you give him something to drink too," Auruo suggests.

"Yeah, on the house since you owe us for last time." Erd adds.

She blushes even more crimson than before. Her face is twisted up in embarrassment, but she doesn't say anything against it. She just hands them their change and turns to make their drinks. They turn to leave, laughing as they make their way to Levi.

When their drinks are done and ready, she gets out from behind the counter and brings it over to their table.

She sets the drinks down one by one, "Caramel Macchiato for Erd. Cappuccino for Auruo. A white chocolate espresso for Gunther, and mocha for Levi."

He hears his name uttered by the unfamiliar, albeit melodic, voice. It's the only time he looks up from his work and his books. That's when he sees her; finally and for the first time. His voice is somewhere caught in his throat, but his face betrays nothing of his internal struggle.

"I didn't—" he starts. She just smiles and again, Levi feels something caught in his throat. It keeps him from saying anything more as she explains.

"Oh, it's um— on the house." She blushes just the tiniest bit and looks away. "Enjoy."

On one hand, he's extremely confused. On the other, it's a pleasant surprise— _she_ is a pleasant surprise. He stares after her as she stalks away embarrassed and blushing, with her head downwards and her eyes practically fused to the floor.

When he looks back at Erd, Auruo and Gunther, they're all giving him smug smiles. He can tell they must be so proud of themselves. Without another look though, he turns back to his book and carries on studying, casually taking sips of the coffee Petra had given him as he goes along his book.

Closing time comes and the four men make their way to leave. Petra holds the door open for them, greeting them goodbye as they go.

"Bye Erd, see you tomorrow!"

"Bye Gunther!"

"Bye Auruo! Behave, okay?"

"Bye Petra, see you!"

The last to exit is Levi. He moves at a much slower pace than the other three. When he passes by Petra, their eyes lock and a warmth fills her cheeks.

"B-Bye Levi," her greeting is much softer compared to the others and she looks at the floor, as if it's what she's saying goodbye to. "Hope to see you again."

His reply is barely audible. She barely hears him because of the softness of his voice, but she does and it makes her blush all the more. "I have a strong feeling we will, Petra." Then he's gone.

Later, when she's clearing out the tables, she finds a book on one of the seats— Levi's seat. She recognizes it from the stack of reading materials Levi had been running through. Picking it up, she flips the cover, to look for a name— as if she didn't already know who owned it. Instead, she finds a napkin folded neatly. On the front it says, _'Petra'_ in neat and legible handwriting.

Inside, she finds a ten digit number written out in the same legible script. Bellow, there's a message:

' _Since you thought it was rude to ask the others and made no move to ask me, I thought I might as well give it to you. Think of it as compensation for the drink.'_

' _P.S. It was really good, by the way.'_

' _P.P.S. You could be my type.'_

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 **A/N:** _Thought I'd whip up a cute little rivetra AU, plus I don't know about you guys, but I'm just in love with coffee shop AUs. For some reason, they work so adorably well for this pairing!_


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